Gaana mid-year report: Regional artists lead music trends in 2025

As 2025 reaches its halfway mark, India’s music preferences are shifting, and Gaana’s Mid-Year Magicians campaign highlights these trends. While Bollywood remains dominant, data from the platform shows growing interest in regional languages, cross-genre music, and emotionally driven compositions. The report notes that listeners in metros and tier-2 cities are increasingly tuning into diverse linguistic and musical styles.

The most-streamed artists this year are no longer limited to the film music industry; they are emerging from every corner of the country, bringing distinctly local sounds into the national spotlight. Voices from Maharashtra, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, and Bihar are topping the charts, reflecting a notable shift in listening habits.  

Marathi artist Sanju Rathod’s tracks Shaky and Gulabi Sadi became breakout hits, leading streaming charts across states. His rise shows regional music has entered the mainstream. Similarly, Masoom Sharma’s Lofar gained national popularity by combining Haryanvi folk with modern elements, appealing to both rural and urban listeners.

Bhojpuri artist Shilpi Raj gained popularity in 2025 with Bandookk, which attracted listeners with its high energy. Tamil artist Sai Abhyyankar also saw success, with tracks like Sithira Puthiri, Aasa Kooda, and Vizhi Veekura building dedicated fanbases.

Among Hindi music veterans, Arijit Singh remained popular with Zamaana Lage and the Bengali track Tomake Chai Bolechhilem, which saw strong engagement beyond Bengal. Shreya Ghoshal appeared across Hindi, Telugu, and Tamil songs, while Anirudh Ravichander maintained his pan-India appeal with Sawadeeka, Hridayam Lopala, and Dheema.

Veteran composer Pritam Chakraborty further cemented his relevance with his work in Metro…In Dino. Meanwhile, the nostalgic return of S. P. Balasubrahmanyam's classics on the platform reflected a continued emotional connection with golden-era melodies. Internationally, Ed Sheeran’s collaboration with Arijit Singh on Sapphire added a global sheen to the Indian playlist scene.

afaqs! received this information in a press release.